Walking With Christ

Do you want to get bitter, or do you want to get better?

James 1:2-4 (2)Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, (3)for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (4)And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.(ESV)

Every trial includes a choice. Every test includes a choice. With every setback we can either stop to live in that moment or we can use that to learn. If we let it, a setback will become an anchor that will prevent us from moving forward. Every lie from the enemy that we believe in these situations just adds to the weight of that anchor. If we refuse to listen to the enemy and take these setbacks as a chance to grow then we will find ourselves producing more fruit than we could have ever imagined before.

John 15:1-2 (1)I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. (2)Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.(ESV)

This metaphor shows one of the many natural laws that we can count on in life. The pruning process may seem like a negative thing at first, but the result will be far beyond what was originally possible.